Empire of Shadows

Johnny quickly left with the money, not wanting to stay there any longer. After he left, Elvin curiously asked, "Did you really lend him the money?"

Lance nodded, "He won't be able to pay it back."

"I worked in his bakery for over a month, and I know exactly how much money he makes each month."

"Even if his daughter doesn't steal money from his cash register, he can only save about two hundred dollars each month after deducting all kinds of expenses."

Elvin couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "That much?!"

Lance agreed with this point of view, "Yes, it is indeed a lot, but you have to know that these two hundred dollars include the wages of three people. If they went to work outside, with their status as Federation citizens, as long as they weren't lazy, they could easily earn thirty-five dollars a month."

"They also have to eat and drink."

"Each month, he actually relies on the bakery to bring in about one hundred dollars in income."

"Even if he doesn't pay wages to the others, he still can't afford to pay back the money. Six months, even if he can save three hundred dollars each month, he still can't pay back this amount."

Elvin was a little confused, "Then why did you still lend it to him?"

Lance casually put the file bag into the safe, "I want him to be unable to pay it back."

"If he could afford to pay it back, how would I get his storefront?"

After hearing this, Elvin felt as if he had experienced a spiritual baptism, "So from the beginning, you never intended to let him off."

Lance shook his head, "There's no such thing as letting him off or not. I've already gotten the eighteen dollars back. The rest is business."

As he spoke, he paused for a moment, took out the two contracts he had just signed with Johnny, and placed them on the table, "In the future, for loan businesses exceeding one hundred dollars, use these two contracts."

Elvin looked at them for a while, his head aching. Lance explained to him, "This part is the loan business, and this part is the financial consulting business. The two are not the same thing."

"Any interest exceeding the 'Usury Law' should all be calculated into the consulting fees and added to them, understand?"

Elvin's mind was quick, and this matter wasn't complicated. He understood as soon as Lance said it.

"This way, if someone doesn't pay back the money, we can directly sue them."

"Although we also do illegal business, at least when we can earn money legally, we should try to be legal!"

In the afternoon, Lance had an appointment with someone from the union. Elvin helped him arrange a meeting with Vaughn, the vice president of the dockworkers' union.

In the Federation, the 'union' is a general term. In reality, specific unions are 'industry unions' formed by workers in different industries, such as shipbuilding workers having a shipbuilding workers' union.

Steelworkers have a steelworkers' union, so naturally, dockworkers also have a dockworkers' union.

Vaughn looked to be around fifty years old, but he didn't seem entirely like a vice president who came from the working class.

The two met at a coffee shop outside the docks and found a secluded spot.

"Mr. Lance, your Wanli Affairs Office has recently seriously disrupted the working order of our docks. Many workers are complaining to me that you've made the entire docks a mess!"

Holding thousands of work cards, seven or eight thousand illegal immigrants have found work at the docks through Lance, which will indeed have a huge impact on the docks.

Although the anti-immigration storm hasn't completely passed, the docks certainly can't stop and wait for its aftermath to completely subside.

Some companies have symbolically stopped for a few days and have already suffered huge losses. They can't continue to stop work.

So a large number of illegal immigrants have returned to the docks, which makes many anti-immigration workers who were successfully brainwashed during the movement full of complaints!

"Our homeland is being invaded by illegal immigrants" has become their slogan. The union has received many complaints, and as representatives of the working class, the union organization that shouted "Workers of the world, unite!" must stand up to protect the interests of legal workers.

Talking to Lance became inevitable.

It's just that they hadn't gone to find Lance yet, and Lance had already taken the initiative to come to them.

Facing Vaughn's complaints, Lance maintained his smile, "Mr. Vaughn…"

"No need for 'Mr.,' just call me Vaughn. Adding those titles or appellations is something only capitalists do."

Although he didn't look like the working class, he at least maintained the keen sense of smell of the working class.

Lance changed his address, "Vaughn, I don't think what we're doing is an offense to traditional local workers."

"You need to know what kind of work they're doing."

"Ship scrubbers, sewage disposal, chimney cleaning, underwater operations…"

"Do you know how dirty, tiring, and dangerous these jobs are?"

Vaughn had to nod, "That's true, but…"

Lance didn't let him continue speaking, interrupting him directly, "But now, all the dangerous and tiring work is being done by those… illegal immigrants."

"They've taken on all the things that people at the docks don't want to do, keeping our Federation workers away from danger. This isn't invasion and chaos!"

"It's easy to make them leave, but can you find enough people to do these things?"

"Working for just over twenty or thirty dollars a month, risking great danger, I don't think the lives of Federation workers should be worth so little money!"

Vaughn fell into thought. The core reason why these illegal immigrants could find work was actually because no one wanted to do these jobs.

Whether it was summer or winter, scrubbing the deck or the side of the ship with a damp cloth that could produce salt crystals at any time, working for a whole day, at most earning a dollar.

Many ship scrubbers earn less than thirty dollars a month.

Many people either get sunburned or freeze all over, but someone has to do it. If the Federation people themselves aren't willing, then they can only find illegal immigrants.

Seeing that Vaughn's attitude seemed to have changed somewhat, Lance put forward his own ideas, "I understand that some workers feel they are chaotic or have bad habits, but you mentioned it, and we've noticed it now. I will strengthen the management of these workers."

"I'm also a Federation citizen. I'm actually on the side of the Federation workers. Everything I do is just to keep the docks running normally."

Lance licked his lips, took a sip of coffee, "I plan to donate some money."

Vaughn was thinking about other things and didn't react for a moment, "What?"

"Take three hundred dollars from my company's profits each month to help some workers' families in need, such as those who have temporarily lost their jobs and need to live, or those who are sick, injured, and have no money for treatment."

"Everyone is a worker, all at the bottom of society. We should unite!"

Vaughn came back to his senses, "Yes, yes, workers should unite to resist the exploitation and oppression of capitalists!"

He pondered for a while, "Your idea is very good, Lance, and what you said isn't entirely without reason. I'll go back and tell them."

"As for your donation…"

Lance took over the topic, "I don't fully understand all the workers at the docks. I don't know who really needs help and who actually doesn't."

"So I'm only responsible for donating the money. You decide how to use the money."

Three hundred dollars a month doesn't sound like much, but it's definitely not little.

Lance even went a step further, "I'll say I'm donating three hundred to the outside world, but I'll actually give four hundred. You guys are actually very hardworking."

"Not only do you have to work, but you also have to handle union affairs. I'm moved by your noble sentiments."

"So this money… you can buy some beef or something else. There's a saying that I think is very correct: health is the capital of hard work. Only when our bodies are strong can we do more for the workers!"

The wrinkles on Vaughn's face seemed to smooth out, "Sounds good?" but he was still a little hesitant, "Will there be a problem doing this?"

Lance widened his eyes and looked at him, "What problem could there be?"

"Is there any law that prohibits me from donating to the union to help those families and workers in need?"

"Or has the Federation's judiciary even deprived us of the right to help each other?"

Vaughn was very touched after listening, "You're right, Lance. I think people may have some misunderstandings about you. I'll explain it to them."

"Also, you just mentioned standardization?"

"Yes!" Lance said, a little parched, took a sip of coffee, and gave Vaughn a cigarette, "I plan to give these illegal immigrant laborers uniform clothing and restrict their behavior at the docks."

"You can also tell me what ideas you have. As long as they are appropriate, I can add them in."

"First, doing so will let them know who is disrupting the peace of the docks and allow people to better supervise the work of illegal immigrants."

"Secondly, it's also a kind of encouragement and supervision of illegal immigrant laborers, letting them understand that their every word and action will be watched, so they will think carefully before doing certain things to consider whether it's appropriate."

Vaughn always felt like something was wrong with this matter, but he couldn't put his finger on it. After thinking about it carefully for a while, he felt that it was indeed a good idea.

Who is an illegal immigrant and who isn't is clear at a glance.

It's also a warning.

A very good plan!

Vaughn even thought that if the dockworkers could also wear uniform clothing, then it would look even more powerful!

He would go back and discuss this matter with the management of the dockworkers' union. Although it was unlikely to be allowed, he should at least try.

"Chatting with you has given me a lot of new ideas, Lance. You're an interesting person, we should keep in touch more often."

Lance placed the four hundred dollar check on the table, holding it down with his index and middle fingers, and pushed it over.

Meeting Lance's sincere gaze, Vaughn felt that not accepting it would be a disservice to Lance's sincerity!